


Life Finds a Way Expanded Universe

by Chaosmoon75 (Chaosmoon)



Series: Life Finds a Way (Even if it Isn't Always Easy) [3]
Category: Compilation of Final Fantasy VII, Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII, Final Fantasy VII
Genre: Expanded Universe, F/M, Fluff, Scared Reno is hilarious
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-01-27
Updated: 2019-01-27
Packaged: 2019-08-02 15:45:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 5,765
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16308056
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Chaosmoon/pseuds/Chaosmoon75
Summary: These are my Life Finds a Way one shots. I don't know how many there will end up being, and the order will be random. These will be taking place across both the Life Finds a Way and Vagaries of Fate timelines in no particular order. Once I decide I am done I might rearrange them chronologically, but for now they will be posted as I come up with them. I know these are all either fluff or character monologues, which is why they weren't in the story. I was moved to go ahead and write them though. None of these are necessary to enjoy the full stories, but I hope it enhances your enjoyment if you end up reading them. Thank you and enjoy!





	1. The 'Light' of my Life

**Author's Note:**

> Genesis struggles with trying to push Clarissa away and he doesn't do a very good job. Genesis' POV during the end of War celebration.  
> A little piece of info, the title for this chapter was inspired by Loveless by X Ambassadors. Enjoy!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know this one is super short, but I really wanted to share it. It is actually an outtake. I had planned on adding it to the story at some point, but there ended up never being a good time for it. It is just such a wonderful interaction between them though that I had to share. Please enjoy!

## The ‘Light’ of my Life

Genesis was still unsure what to do about Clarissa.  He could tell things were getting more complicated with every day that passed, but he couldn’t bring himself to face what changes might happen.  Not to mention that he was still so confused and angry over the things that he had found out from Hollander, that he could barely be civil during missions.

They had been assigned together to investigate a possible monster infestation at one of their remote sites, despite his protests to Sephiroth.  He hadn’t snapped at anyone yet that day, but he had made it very clear that he didn’t want to speak, and most people were smart enough to give him a wide berth.  Only Clarissa insisted on sticking close to him, which was why he was currently fuming about his confusion.

Once they arrived, he made an attempt to push all his anger aside for the sake of the mission.  Despite popular belief, he really did try to be professional in the field.  They could tell immediately that the power had been cut to the facility, so he had the infantry that had come with them surround the building and then motioned Clarissa to follow him inside.

They walked in silence for nearly half an hour.  They explored most of the facility before they headed to the main lab.  It was quickly apparent that whatever, or _whoever_ , had been there had already left.  They didn’t find anything except for the debris left in the wake of the break in.  He quietly told Clarissa to check the far side of the room while he checked the computers.  They both fell into their tasks easily.

The silence was suddenly interrupted but a light chuckle.  Genesis looked up with a start to find Clarissa looking right at him.  When he realized that it wasn’t urgent, he did snap at her finally.  “And what, pray tell, is so humorous that you are distracted from your job.”

Even in the dark he could tell that her face heated slightly as she started to frown.  It passed quickly though, and she was soon smiling again when she answered.  “Sorry, I didn’t mean to disturb you.  It’s just that I finally realized why you don’t need a flashlight to see in the dark.  Have you noticed how bright your eyes glow in the dark?  You light up the whole area in front of you.”

He stilled completely as he took in what she said.  He blinked a couple of times before he managed to find the words to respond.  “Did you just compare my eyes to _flashlights_?”

He was surprised further when she nearly doubled over as she started laughing in earnest.  He let out a low growl of irritation and that seemed to make her get herself back under control, but she was still grinning when she looked at him.  “Oh, don’t let it ding your ego too bad.  You know very well how attractive you are.  Even your snarky, asshole, arrogance is attractive most days, so you’re in no danger of my observation stopping that.”

He couldn’t stop his shock from showing as he stared at her.  They had both been dancing around the issue for weeks at least, and her sudden bluntness had him floundering for a response.  It was uncomfortable for him, as words were his forte.  She must have realized the weight her words had finally as well.  She blushed slightly and turned back to the equipment she had been inspecting before she spoke.  “I apologize if that was out of line.  Please forget I said anything.”

Genesis found himself moving before he realized what he was doing.  Her eyes widened with shock when he turned her to face him and cupped her chin so she would be forced to look into his eyes.  His voice was low when he finally spoke.  “I will let it pass for now, as we do have work to focus on, but do not think we will not be discussing this later.  I very much want to explore exactly what you meant.”

He could feel her swallow before she spoke, as he still had her chin in a firm grasp.  “Of course.  Later.”

Her words had been confident, but he could still hear the waiver in her voice.  He smirked before he let her go and turned back to what he had been doing.  He was still irritated at everything else, but he suddenly found that it didn’t bother him as bad.  He still didn’t want to admit to the reason why, but he found himself smirking at his partner every time his gaze passed over her for the rest of the day.


	2. A Haunting in Shinra

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The motivation for this little look into the day in the life of a Turk was given to me by a reviewer. She wondered what Vincent was up to when Clarissa and the others were gone. So now we know :) I hope you enjoy!

## A Haunting at Shinra

Vincent had barely been back for a few days and was already finding that he wasn’t sure where to fit in.  He spent part of his day working with Veld behind the scenes to curb the chaos.  He still held all his skills from his days as a Turk that were only enhanced by the modifications done to him.  That didn’t mean he was comfortable with them yet.  He still had to often find a silent place to keep from loosing himself when things would get too loud in his head.

It also didn’t help that when he finally saw Sephiroth for the first time, he was reminded that Hojo was a pathological liar.  There was something about the Silver General that made him uncomfortable in his presence.  It wasn’t just that he was reminded of Lucrecia every time he saw the man, but Clarissa’s initial argument to him kept coming back.  Should he have pushed harder, even after he was released from his mako prison and Lucrecia was gone?

It was thoughts like this that pushed him to where he currently found himself.  He stuck to the Turk floor most days, and today was no exception.  The only difference was that he had found a quiet room away from the rest of the team.  Most days it was fairly quiet on the Turk floor anyway, but there were a couple of them that didn’t understand the meaning of silence.  The red-head being the worst example.  Vincent couldn’t understand how the man had ever become a Turk, at least at first.  As lazy and obnoxious as the man was, it didn’t take him long to figure out that when he did work, he was good at what he did.

He hadn’t bothered turning the lights on as he could see perfectly fine in the dark.  Whether it was the experiments or the fact that he had a Weapon residing under his skin made no difference.  The fact that Chaos was still speaking to him clearly was something he was getting used to.  He had spent untold years trying to suppress the demon, so it was a shock when he no longer needed to work as hard to do so.  There were still occasions where Chaos would force his way out, but there was usually a good reason.  It was also shocking that Chaos often helped him keep the rest at bay.

He tried to push all these circling thoughts back.  The whole purpose of his retreating to the room he was in, was so that he could calm himself and deal with his demons.  He tried to quietly focus on his breathing.  Eventually he was able to calm himself to the point that it almost seemed as if his breathing stopped.  He had no idea how long he sat there in the dark, but it was rudely interrupted when the light was flipped on, followed quickly by the shrillest scream he had ever heard a man make.  He opened his eyes to see Reno had fallen over backwards and was trying unsuccessfully to crawl away out the door and stand at the same time.  The end result was that the red-head was sliding and getting nowhere.

Vincent’s irritation at the interruption was halted when he heard Chaos laughing.  He paused and listened, wondering if the demon had something to say, but he seemed to be lost in his humor.  Vincent realized why, when Reno finally managed to stand and bolted before a word could be said to him.  It was several minutes after the young Turk was gone that Chaos finally spoke.  “As dead as your humor seems to be, even you must see how fitting it is.  The obnoxious one treats all like a joke, especially those with more power; the son of your lover, his friends, the traveler.  Surely even you can see it is poetic justice.”

Vincent hmmed but didn’t say anything.  He could see why Chaos found the reactions fitting but he had no desire to scare anyone by his presence.  Chaos interrupted those thoughts as well.  “The traveler has already told you that you are not seen as a monster.  No one except the obnoxious one has reacted to you in such a way.”

Vincent frowned at that.  “That isn’t exactly true.  They may try to hide it, but most of the Turks are uncomfortable around me.  Even Veld, although he seems to be getting used to the idea.”

He could feel Chaos’ derision.  “You are different than you once were.  It cannot be changed or denied, but it is only the change that is uncomfortable for them.  With time it will pass.  Your lover’s son only treated you with respect, as have most of the others you have met.  If you dare try to break your silence, you will see that none condemn you.”

Vincent sat back in silence again.  He had too many things on his mind to easily accept what Chaos said, but he didn’t disregard it either.  He had watched how everyone was so supportive of Clarissa, even after they had found out that she was more than human now.  The other Firsts were treated with respect as well, and while it wasn’t as obvious for them as it was for himself, those that knew they were altered, did not treat them differently.  He had to wonder if perhaps Chaos might have a point. 

He finally stood to leave, as he no longer felt as overwhelmed as he had, but he was stopped by Chaos once again.  “I applaud your desire to see the truth in my words and encourage you to seek it for yourself, however, I think that in the meantime, having some fun with the obnoxious one might be in order.”

Vincent could feel his brow furrow at what Chaos had implied.  “I do not want to scare him on purpose.  That would only serve to make working with him more difficult.  If I am to stay and help, I cannot afford that.”

It was Chaos’ turn to huff, but there was still humor in his voice.  “You need to quit taking everything so seriously.  It would do you good.”  Vincent scowled slightly but he ignored the remark as he went to find Veld again.

* * *

 

It was later that same day that Vincent was subverted by Chaos.  He fought with the demon but was unable to keep him from surfacing, at least for a short time.  Despite his wishes to not make people uncomfortable, he found himself above the ceiling in one of the hallways.  Chaos finally relinquished control with a laugh.  Vincent wasn’t sure what to make of the Weapon’s actions, at least not until he jumped down.  When he landed, it was right in front of Reno.  The man had just turned the corner. 

Vincent frowned as the demon’s laughter echoed in his head.  Unfortunately, the frown did not help the situation with Reno.  He had already nearly fallen over again at the unexpected sight of Vincent jumping down, but he had been frozen in place.  When the gunman frowned, Reno’s eyes got so wide the whites showed all around.  He was then able to make his feet moved and ran back the way he came with a strangled sound.  Vincent thought about reprimanding Chaos, but he knew it would do no good. 

Over the next day and a half Vincent found himself in similar situations several times, although by the third time it wasn’t nearly as funny to Chaos, simply because Reno quit going anywhere on the Turk floor alone. 

* * *

 

By the time the orders to head to Nibelheim were released Vincent had somehow convinced Chaos to desist.  The first days of travel had been uncomfortable all around.  Partially because Reno was quieter than anyone had ever seen him, and it caused a bit of worry, but Vincent was also uncomfortable around Sephiroth.  Thankfully by the time they arrived things seemed to have settled somewhat, at least for Vincent.  Reno still kept his distance, but since Vincent, or Chaos, was no longer trying to actively scare him, he had come to realize nothing was actually going to happen to him.


	3. Can't Give you Love (Because I'm Loveless)

## Can’t Give You Love (Because I’m Loveless)

 

The trip back from Wutai had been interesting, if somewhat annoying for Genesis.  Most days he spent in contemplation.  He wasn’t sure exactly why he had allowed Clarissa to change his mind about leaving.  He didn’t want to admit it, but he knew part of it was the fact that she seemed to have no sense of self-preservation and didn’t hesitate to push her own well-being to the back of her concern.  The thought of it caused his anger to boil, although he tried to keep it mostly hidden.  That was something he was uncomfortable with letting be known.  It also didn’t help that nearly every night brought nightmares of her being stabbed over and over.

By the time they got back to Midgar, he wasn’t sure if he was more irritated at her constant attempts to get him to open up or amused at how irritated she had become at the restrictions placed on her.  When she practically snapped at Sephiroth he had to tightly control his expression.  He wasn’t sure why he found it humorous, but there was something in her annoyance that made him glad to see she was still only human.

He made sure not to catch her eye as he left.  He was certain why Sephiroth had asked her to stay and he didn’t want to be a part of any of that conversation.  He was just thankful that no one had mentioned their respective monikers while they traveled home.  He had an idea of what the Wutainese had intended when they gave them, but that was another thing he didn’t want to think about.  He also knew he should have mentioned the fact that they were probably going to be asked to attend a ceremony thanking them for the end of the war, but he knew it would have started a conversation he didn’t want to get into.  He knew what the ‘party’ would be like and barely wanted to go himself.

* * *

 

Genesis had spent most of the next day in his office.  It was the weekend, but he didn’t want to speak with anyone and most people would not think to look there.  Angeal had tried to speak to him the night before but he had managed to evade most of the questions.  He didn’t want to deal with it again before he was forced to interact with others that evening. 

He had also avoided Hollander.  He knew the scientist wanted to speak with him after he never showed up with the group of Seconds and Thirds in Wutai.  He was sure the scientist understood that it meant he wasn’t sure about helping any longer, but he couldn’t find it in himself to care at the moment.  Things were still chaotic in his head, worse than they had been, but his own possible degradation was vying for the top spot in his thoughts, with the memory of Clarissa chasing him down and what that might mean.  By the time he headed back to his apartment to change for the party, he was even more irritated than he had been.  At least his scowl kept most people from trying to approach him.

He knew he couldn’t get away with not showing up early as the President planned to show them off, but he hoped that meant he would be allowed to leave early as well.  He could barely stomach the idea of dealing with everyone.  He had headed toward the bar as soon as he entered but all thoughts fled from him before he made it.  His attention was snagged by a flash of red and when he looked he found he couldn’t move or take his eyes from the figure already standing at the bar.

Clarissa had her back to him but that didn’t make it better.  Her hair was swept back but it was down and cascaded down her back.  It still barely covered the exposed skin.  The red dress she was wearing dipped nearly to her waist in the back.  It had long sleeves but still managed to accent all of her curves, making the modesty of the coverage questionable.  The fabric moved with her and seemed to caress her skin with each motion.

When she finally turned and caught sight of him, her eyes widened, and she paused before approaching him.  He still could not manage to look away from her.  The green of her eyes was complemented by the red of her lips and he could not tear his gaze away.  It wasn’t until she spoke that he was able to pull himself together.  It took him a moment to register her question.  When he did he couldn’t help the clipped tone of his response as he tried to bring himself back under control.

He caught a glimpse of the President of one of his fan clubs and used it as an excuse to quickly get away.  He knew he should feel bad at using the woman to distract himself as she gave him a bright smile before taking his arm, but that thought was far from being the prominent one.  He spent the next half hour trying, and failing, to not watch Clarissa down one drink after another until Angeal interrupted her.

The woman he had been walking with had already left him and he was certain she had been wearing a frown, but as much as he normally tried to please his fans, he couldn’t find it in himself to care at the moment.  He was thankful that his review was interrupted by the sight of President Shinra entering.  It wasn’t long until the man made his way across the room and up on the stage.  He followed him up when he was called and tried not to watch as Clarissa made her way through the crowd to stand next to him.

There was a part of him that found he was incredibly satisfied at the picture they made standing side by side.  It was a thought he tried to push away but couldn’t completely.  It showed in his smile.  He had only been paying partial attention to the president, but it must have been more than Clarissa was as she hadn’t moved at all when the president introduced her.  He quietly coughed and bumped her slightly to get her attention.  He could tell that whatever had been on her mind wasn’t pleasant as she barely contained her frown when she finally noticed she had been called up.

The rest of the speech was short thankfully and Genesis was glad he had not been called upon to do more than smile for the crowds.  That was something he could do without thought.

Despite his personal vow to keep Clarissa at arm’s length, he thought about asking her to dance as they made their way back off the stage.  He rationalized that it would make sense as he was her mentor as well as the fact that this whole thing was mostly about the two of them accomplishing something great for Shinra.  He was stopped short when one of the normal annoying reporters approached her.  He could tell she was hesitant, but she took his hand and followed him to the dance floor.

Genesis watched them as he kept her occupied for another dance.  He moved to approach her again when the reporter finally released her, but another man had already taken up her hand.  This time she didn’t hesitate at all to allow the man to lead her into the next dance.  At the sight Genesis couldn’t repress a low growl before he turned his back on the sight and made his way to the bar finally.

He lost track of the number of drinks that he had downed as he tried to focus on the conversation near him.  It wasn’t long until his scowl managed to drive everyone away and he was left to try and not watch as she was led across the floor.  His irritation continued to grow as she was pulled from one partner to another.  Even though he could see that the whole process was beginning to wear on her, he couldn’t bring himself to go and cut in.

He had just gotten another drink when he turned to watch her again.  He didn’t even realize it when he crushed the glass in his hand.  His attention was on Sephiroth and Clarissa.  He nearly melted the remaining glass in his hand as he watched her smile up at his rival.  She was radiant as she allowed Sephiroth to lead her into the crowd.  It didn’t help his state of mind when Sephiroth chuckled and smiled back down at her.  When the whispers that sprung up around them reached Genesis, he finally stood.  He wasn’t sure what he planned on doing, but he found he couldn’t stand still as the people around him gushed at what a beautiful couple the two Soldiers made together.

When Sephiroth led her into a second dance Genesis finally moved toward the dance floor.  He had to bite back a curse as the President of his other fan club intercepted him.  When she caught sight of his scowl though, she didn’t bother speaking.  She just gave him a wave and a smile as he walked passed.  Her interference had been enough for Sephiroth to lead Clarissa from the dance floor.  He watched as they separated, and she headed back to the bar.  He gritted his teeth in irritation as she was once again surrounded before she even managed to find a seat.

He instantly realized he would no longer put up with others trying to claim what was his.  He didn’t even pause to consider that he had thought of her as his for some time, even if he had never wanted to admit it to himself or anyone else.  He quickly found himself grasping her elbow and glaring at the men around her.  Her shocked face barely registered since he was focused on the men.  It was obvious they all realized his claim and had no desire to step up.  He didn’t look at her until she jerked her arm from his grasp.

He didn’t bother trying to modulate his glare as she glared right back.  It took him a moment to process her accusation about his date, but he pushed it back quickly and grabbed her again.  He realized she was mad at him, but this conversation had been coming for some time now.  He knew he would have to face her anger, but he needed to make sure she understood there would be no others but him.

She finally relented and allowed him to lead her out.  He had been intending to take her to his apartment, so they could speak in private, but once they were in the relative silence of the hall, he found himself unable to go further without speaking.  As soon as his eyes landed on her again, he was nearly as surprised as she was when he pushed her up against the wall.  He had her pinned and tangled his hand in her beautiful hair before he took in her look.  He took in her glare but was distracted by how the fire made her eyes flash and her full lips were slightly open.

As his gaze roved over her face he watched as her expression changed from the heat of anger to another kind of heat.  His breath was mingling with hers as he finally claimed her.  “You are mine!”

He could tell she was surprised when his lips crashed down on hers, but he didn’t hesitate to bite her lip.  That was all it took for her to give in to his invasion of her mouth.  When she joined him in the kiss, he wasn’t entirely certain that they wouldn’t burn where they stood.  He found that if that were to happen, for once he would be satisfied to have ended with her finally in his arms where she belonged.


	4. Blooming in the Slums

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This takes place right after Aerith summons Holy to help Clarissa defeat Jenova. I love a little Zerith as I think they are adorable together. Please enjoy and let me know what you think!

##  **Blooming in the Slums**

Zack knew that he really liked Aerith and he was sure she knew it, but for some reason he still felt like there was a distance between them.  It wasn’t that they didn’t enjoy their time together, even when others joined them, but somehow, he felt like she was keeping him at arm’s length.  He wasn’t worried about it too much as he didn’t want to push her or anything, but sometimes he wondered why, especially on days like today.  He and Cloud were there to visit her, but she was completely distracted.

He thought about trying to pull her out of her slump and suggested taking a walk, but she was adamant about staying.  He could tell that when Cloud suggested they stay and enjoy the flowers, she was grateful.  He decided to stick around and make the most of the visit anyway.  He tried his best to make her smile, but even when she did, it seemed off.  It made the hairs on the back of his neck stand up a little.  She had acted a little bit like this before the one time she had freaked out about Clarissa too.  He really hoped he was wrong though.  Especially as it had turned out that she had been right.  Clarissa had been injured, badly enough to really worry the rest of the Firsts. 

He wasn’t sure what connection they shared, but it was obvious they had one.  At least they had each other though.  The two women were some of the best people he knew besides Angeal and his parents.  It still made him shake his head when he thought of Clarissa settling for Genesis of all people, but he guessed when it came to matters of the heart, you never could tell.  That’s what Angeal told him anyway.

He was jerked from his thoughts when he saw Aerith run to the center of her flower bed.  Normally she would have never been so rough with them, but she hardly seemed to be paying attention to what she was doing.  When she dropped to her knees and bowed her head, he felt his heart rate spike.  Whatever was going on, this was what he had been feeling all day, he just knew it.

He was only frozen for a moment.  He instantly went to her side and knelt beside her.  He was shocked to see her start to glow slightly, but she looked to be concentrating so deeply that he didn’t want to disturb her.  He knew Cloud was hovering close by too, but he was more worried about the girl in front of him.  He barely motioned for his friend to come and sit next to them while they waited for Aerith to finish whatever she was doing.

It went on for nearly fifteen minutes.  She hadn’t even flinched when it started raining.  He had expected her to be surprised, but she hadn’t moved.  He was surprised though, as the rain was warm and reminded him of home.  It was January still, so warm rain was weird. 

He pushed those thoughts back though as she finally started to stir.  When she looked over to him, her eyes were haunted, but she looked satisfied.  She reached a hand out to him with a small smile but stumbled when she tried to stand.  He was instantly by her side and helped her over to a pew, so she could sit.  She held onto his hand while she tried to get herself back under control.  No one had said anything yet.

When she looked up again, her gaze was apologetic.  “I didn’t mean to scare you, but… something happened.”

Zack nodded his understanding.  “I don’t understand what’s going on, but I’m here for you.”

Her smile widened at the fact that, even though he was curious and didn’t hide it, he still didn’t ask for an explanation.  She had already decided it was time to share with him, and this made her realize the decision was passed due.  “Thank you for being here Zack.  I do want to talk to you but maybe later.”  She did like Cloud too, but the conversation she wanted to have with Zack would be personal.  She didn’t want the boy to feel left out while he was visiting.

To both their surprise, he spoke up softly.  “I can come back later.  Why don’t the two of you stay and talk.  I’m just glad to see you’re okay.”

Aerith’s face fell a little.  She hadn’t wanted him to feel like he was imposing.  “I didn’t mean for that to sound like I didn’t want you here.  You know you are welcome anytime!”

He smiled and shook his head at her.  “I know you didn’t.  Don’t worry about me.  I can tell Zack is about ready to vibrate right off the edge of that pew.  Take your time.  I know the way back.”  He didn’t wait for either of them to respond before he headed toward the door.  He gave them a smile and a wave as he closed them behind himself.

Once he was gone, silence fell over the two of them for several moments.  Finally, they both tried to break it at the same time.  That caused them both to laugh, but Aerith was the first to recover.  “I’m really glad you were here.  I know that had to have been weird, but there is something I have been thinking about telling you for a while now.”

She paused and bit the corner of her lip.  He instantly spoke up.  “You know you don’t have to tell me anything if you don’t want to.  I really like you just the way you are.”

She smiled and put her hand over one of his.  “Thank you.  I want to tell you though.  Don’t feel like you are pressuring me.  You aren’t.”  She paused and threaded their fingers together before she continued.  “Do you know what a Cetra is?”

He looked confused at her question.  “Uh, I’m not sure.  I think I’ve heard the word before, but I don’t really know.”

She nodded.  “How about the Ancients.  Do you know anything about them?”

She wasn’t certain it was possible, but his look became even more confused.  “Their knowledge is what is trapped in materia, right?  In my training with Genesis he told me that they were a race of people that lived thousands of years ago and helped the planet.  Even though they are gone, their knowledge can be used with materia, right?”

She smiled at him softly.  “Yes, that’s right, but not everything.  Not all of the Cetra, the Ancients, disappeared.  My mother was the last surviving Cetra, so that makes me half-Cetra.”

She gave him a moment to absorb that information.  He was wearing a look of wonder.  “Wow!  I bet there are a lot of people that would like to get to know you!”  Her face fell a little at his words and he nearly smacked himself.  He spoke up quickly though.  “Forget I said that.  I suppose there has to be a reason you have kept it secret and I’m honored that you decided to share it with me.  Don’t you worry that you made a bad decision.  You will always be safe with me.”

Her smile became radiant at his reassurance.  “I know I will be.  I trust you, and I’m really glad I got the chance to know you.  It’s nice not having to keep it from you anymore.”

He wanted to give her a hug so bad, but he settled for squeezing her hand softly.  At that point something occurred to him.  “Do you mind if I ask you a question?”  He waited for her to nod her consent before he continued.  “I don’t know if you can tell me what that was all about, but was it something to do with Clarissa?  I have thought for awhile that the two of you share something special, but after the last time… is she okay?”

At his question, Aerith finally lost her smile, although she tried to reassure him with a squeeze of her fingers.  “She will be fine.  You were right that we have a connection.  We can both hear the voice of the planet.  Please don’t talk to anyone about it though.  At least not anyone except for Genesis and the other Firsts.  They already know.  We are safer now that Hojo is no longer at Shinra, but we can’t be sure someone else might not take up where he left off.  The more people that know, the more we are in danger.”

His face became determined.  “I have already said I won’t let anything happen to you, and I’ll stick by that.  Clarissa is my friend too and, despite how much I don’t understand it, I know Genesis would never let anything happen to her.  You guys are safe, I promise!”

She finally regained her smile.  “You know, I think I can really believe that for the first time… in a long time.  Thanks Zack.”

The two of them continued to sit there for a while longer just chatting.  He had more questions than she knew what to do with, but she was glad she finally had someone she could share with.  Not that she couldn’t with her mother, but this was something entirely new, and special.  It was quite a while later when he finally realized how late it was and insisted on taking her home.  Once he dropped her off, he never lost his smile as he headed back up to headquarters.


End file.
